Obama birth control mandates loosens lawsuits

NEW YORK (AP) ? The legal challenges over religious freedom and the birth control coverage requirement in President Barack Obama's health care overhaul appear to be moving toward the U.S. Supreme Court.

Faith-affiliated charities, hospitals and universities have filed dozens of lawsuits against the mandate, which requires employers to provide insurance that covers contraception for free. However, many for-profit business owners are also suing, claiming a violation of their religious beliefs.

The religious lawsuits have largely stalled, as the Department of Health and Human Services tries to develop an accommodation for faith groups. However, no such offer will be made to individual business owners. And their lawsuits are yielding conflicting rulings in appeals courts around the country.

"The circuits have split. You're getting different, conflicting interpretations of law, so the line of cases will have to go to the Supreme Court, " said Carl Esbeck, a professor at the University of Missouri Law School who specializes in religious liberty issues.

Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that Obama's fiercely contested health care overhaul, known as the Affordable Care Act, was constitutional. But differences over the birth control provision in the law have yet to be resolved.

Under the requirement, most employers, including faith-affiliated hospitals and nonprofits, have to provide health insurance that includes artificial contraception, including sterilization, as a free preventive service. The goal, in part, is to help women space pregnancies as a way to promote health.

Religious groups who employ and serve people of their own faith ? such as churches ? are exempt. But other religiously affiliated groups, such as Catholic Charities, must comply.

Roman Catholic bishops, evangelicals and some religious leaders who have generally been supportive of Obama's policies have lobbied fiercely for a broader exemption. The Catholic Church prohibits the use of artificial contraception. Evangelicals generally permit the use of birth control, but they object to specific methods such as the morning-after contraceptive pill, which they argue is tantamount to abortion.

Obama promised to change the birth control requirement so insurance companies and not faith-affiliated employers would pay for the coverage, but religious leaders said more changes were needed to make the plan work.

The Health and Human Services Department said it could not comment on litigation. A spokeswoman also did not respond to a question about when the latest revisions in the birth control rule would be made public.

However, government attorneys responding to a lawsuit said an announcement was expected by the end of March. In the suit filed by the evangelical Wheaton College in Illinois and Catholic Belmont Abbey in North Carolina, the court ordered government attorneys to provide a progress report on the new rule every 60 days. Whatever its final form, the mandate will take effect for religious groups in August.

At the center of the cases is the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the 1993 law that bars the government from imposing a substantial burden on the exercise of religion for anything other than a compelling government interest pursued in the least restrictive way. The question of how or whether these criteria apply when owners of for-profit businesses have a religious objection to a government policy hasn't been fully tested.

"It's more natural for people to say Notre Dame exercises religion, but when you say this power tool company exercises religion, you have to explain it little more, I think the claims are really the same," said Kyle Duncan, general counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which represents many of the plaintiffs.

Brigitte Amiri, senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union, argued the business owners are trying to use a religious liberty claim to deny benefits to someone else.

"We don't think that religious liberty claims can be used as a way to discriminate against women employees ? using those claims to take away someone else's benefits and services," Amiri said.

In the lawsuits from faith-affiliated groups, such as the University of Notre Dame, judges around the country have generally said it would be premature to decide the legal issues until the federal rule for religiously affiliated organizations is finalized.

In the cases involving business owners, judges have granted temporary injunctions to businesses in nine of 14 cases they've heard, while questions about for-profit employers and religious rights are decided, according to a tally by the Becket Fund.

In a case brought by Cyril and Jane Korte, Catholic owners of Korte & Luitjohan Contractors in Illinois, a three-judge panel granted a temporary injunction, ruling 2-1 that providing employees insurance coverage that includes birth control would violate the Kortes' faith.

"It is a family-run business, and they manage the company in accordance with their religious beliefs," the judges wrote.

The dissenting judge argued that the company will not be paying directly for contraception but instead will purchase insurance that covers a wide range of health care that could include birth control, if the woman decides with her physician that she needs it.

"What the Kortes wish to do is to preemptively declare that their company need not pay for insurance which covers particular types of medical care to which they object," the dissenting judge wrote.

Similar reasoning was used by courts denying an injunction requested by the arts and crafts chain Hobby Lobby and religious book-seller Mardel Inc., which are owned by the same evangelical family. Oklahoma-based Hobby Lobby calls itself a "biblically founded business" and is closed on Sundays.

The U.S. district judge who first considered the request said, "Hobby Lobby and Mardel are not religious organizations."

"Plaintiffs have not cited, and the court has not found, any case concluding that secular, for-profit corporations such as Hobby Lobby and Mardel have a constitutional right to the free exercise of religion," the ruling said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-birth-control-mandates-loosens-lawsuits-220241491--finance.html

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Determining Your Finance Needs for Business Growth | FundWell

Before seeking a business loan, small business owners should conduct a detailed analysis of their financing needs and outline these in a proposal for their lending institution.? Why is it so important that business owners only take on the debt that they absolutely need?? Because borrowing? too much can result in wasted resources and increased costs in the long run, while borrowing too little can keep you from accomplishing your goals and put your business at risk.

Startups will have different considerations than businesses who are seeking to improve and grow their business.? Here we outline important considerations for small business owners who are seeking financing to improve or grow their business.

-Do you need money to expand your business, manage your current cash flow, or cushion against risk?? In other words, determine the strategic purpose of your loan, and whether you are seeking working or investment capital.

-Do you need a set amount of money, or would you prefer a line of credit?? This will be determined in part by whether you are seeking working or investment capital.

-Are your financial goals regarding the loan long-term or short-term?? Again, this is determined in part by the strategic purpose of your loan.? A general rule is short-term loans for short-term goals, and long-term loans for long-term goals.

-How urgent is the need for cash, and how quickly do you need the money?? This will play a major role in the type of financing you seek.? Most loans with good interest rates will take time to process, so it?s always better to plan ahead and cushion against risk, rather than to seek financing during a crisis.

-How great are your risks?? Generally the more risk your business carries, the higher the cost and qualifications for the loan.? High risk lenders tend to have fewer financing options.? Consider the market and competition for your product or service, and any other mitigating factors involved in your business.? You will want to make a sober assessment of your risks, so that you can explain them to your lender.

-What will you use the money for?? Consider whether the money will be put toward buying equipment, hiring new employees, or managing cash flow.? Plus, detailing specifically how the money will be used, as well as providing financial projections and a cash budget that details the flow of funds, and the timing of cash drains and surpluses, will go a long way in demonstrating to your lender that you are a knowledgeable and responsible borrower.

-What is the current state of your business financials and credit?? In general, it will be harder to obtain debt financing if your business has poor credit or a poor financial history.

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Source: http://thefundwell.com/2013/01/what-to-consider-when-determining-your-finance-needs-for-business-growth/

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Three Percent: In Conversation about Queneau's "Exercises in Style"

One of the coolest releases of the winter has to be the new version of Raymond Queneau?s Exercises in Style?the classic Oulipian text in which Queneau tells and retells the same story of two men who get on a bus and have a minor row, ending with one telling the other to replace a button on his overcoat. The original version had 99 of these variations told in styles ranging from ?Notation? to ?Word game? to ?Cockney? to ?Awkward.? It?s a testament to Queneau?s ability as a writer, and just as interestingly, it sort of blows apart the idea of how many ways a story can be told?and how style can be more important than content.

Anyway, this new version, which celebrates the book?s 65th Anniversary, New Directions added in twenty-five exercises left out of the original, AND included new exercises written by Jesse Ball, Blake Butler, Amelia Gray, Shane Jones, Jonathan Lethem, Ben Marcus, Harry Mathews, Lynne Tillman, Frederic Tuten, and Enrique Vila-Matas.

Anyway, anyway, to mark the release of this, ND posted a two-part conversation between Daniel Levin Becker and Chris Clarke about Queneau, Exercises in Style, and the Oulipo in general. You can read part one here, and click here for part two. And below are a few interesting bits:

Daniel Levin Becker: Maybe we should start with the book a little bit, if only to make it topical, and then go more general from there? For the sake of doing what I just suggested, here?s a question: what do you think is the particular relevance of Exercises in Style today?

Chris Clarke: I don?t know if I can speak so much to a ?particular? relevance, it might be more appropriate in my mind to speak of a ?continued? relevance. For me, Exercises in Style is the great reminder that there is no such thing as ideology-free writing. Even the simplest text, the most banal or inconsequential piece of writing, carries marks of style that affect the reader in one way or another. I don?t know if it?s fair to say that this is more important to understand now than it was in 1947, but it seems that way sometimes. Could just be a bias of time and place. But that was always the way Exercises affected me, by making me conscious of all the different ways it could affect me, and by reminding me that in its case, like in most, the whole process is intentional. Beyond that, well, I can?t not mention it, the other continued relevance of Exercises to me is simply that it?s a window into how much fun language can be, even when used to describe something as banal as a story of bus rides and button-shifting. Even the dullest crosstown trip on the S-bus can be utterly and infinitely fascinating.

DLB: I like your point about ideology. I guess what I had in the back of my mind when I asked that was something about the fragmentation of writing these days, literary or otherwise, such that fluency (so to speak) in a number of registers maybe counts a little more than it used to, because you don?t want to tweet in the same voice as you write an essay, a blog post, an email, etc. In any case, I don?t (maybe Tao Lin does). It feels a little overserious to claim that there?s all that much of a difference between an email and a blog post, but then maybe that?s where the ideology part of it comes in. [. . .]

Michael Barron: Chris, you say that there is no such thing as ideology-free writing, that everything has a semblance of style. I am curious to know how a style in the French, say ?Promotional,? actually changes when rendered in English. I am also curious to know from both of you which exercises from the contributions by contemporary writers struck you as the most true to Queneau?s vision? And from there, I am wondering if you think that Queneau had a certain umbrella style that pervades all of his exercises?

CC: I thought the new contributions were a lot of fun. To me, closest to Queneau?s method might be Frederic Tuten?s ?Beat.? I thought Shane Jones? ?Assistance? added a neat bit of insight into the narrator, in the same way that Queneau?s ?There were oodles . . .? does. As far as style crossing over from language to language . . . well, it?s one of the goals of the translator to find the closest equivalent (s)he can. Of course, no two languages operate the same way, so it?s perhaps never a perfect transaction, but it?s something translators are very conscious of. Something like ?Promotional? and its French counterpart ?Publicitaire? are always going to have some little differences to them, some of them because of differences in the language and the way style works in those given languages, some because of cultural differences. In this case, a radio ad is going to have a different ring to it in a North American (or British) context than it would in a French context, just as much as it will be read differently now compared to how it would have come across 65 years ago. Also, in this case, the very last line in the French text is a riff on the slogan of a French battery called Wonder, which was so popular that it spawned a variety of parodies, including the slogan of a newspaper. The English reader isn?t going to see that in the English text, as the reference is no longer physically there, and even if it were, he likely wouldn?t react the same way because he doesn?t necessarily have the same cultural references at his disposal. In cases like this, the intertextuality can?t quite be the same. [. . .]

CC: Okay, here?s something I?ve always wanted to ask an Oulipian. If I were to tell you I was translating a piece of your writing that involved a particular constraint, my question (depending of course on the particular piece) would be, would you tell me that I should be more concerned about translating the finished piece of writing, or about reproducing the constraint used in creating the piece? For an easy example, a ?faithful? literary translation of a lipogram with no ?e? that attempted to stay close to the text would almost certainly contain ?e??s.

DLB: [Trying to ignore the well-of-course-this-changes-everything implications of it being my writing,] I?d say it?s absolutely more important to reproduce the constraint or procedure than to reproduce the meaning. That is assuming, of course, that the constraint was instrumental in engendering the text, which almost has to be the case for the text to be like, good (in this admittedly peculiar entre-nous kind of way). If you were to translate La disparition for the story alone, you?d have a novel that?s not ultimately all that good; if you were to translate it without using the most common letter in the target language, you might not succeed in making the narrative/details ?faithful? enough for it to be considered the same work, but I?d argue you?d have come much closer to preserving what?s essential about the book. (Fun aside: I recently translated Perec?s dream journal, which contains a few references to La disparition, and had an almost visceral aversion to the idea of rendering it in English as A Void, just because to me those are such manifestly different books. (The publisher has probably overridden my call on that; only time will tell.)) Anyway, an unofficial thought-test tells me this holds true for most constraint-based (or shall we say structure-forward) works that come to mind?imagine translating Abish?s Alphabetical Africa for content alone. Pointless! The pointlessness of the exercise would be rivaled only by the creepy colonialist overtones that rose to the surface.

MB: Hey now, we publish Alphabetical Africa . . .

So fun. And all this Oulipo talk makes me more excited to get to Scott and Lauren?s The End of Oulipo? (which I didn?t get to last weekend, since I had to read Merchants of Culture for class and am finishing up B?ll?s The Safety Net. Oh, and I read Hilda Hilst?s fascinating The Obscene Madame D, but I?ll talk about that more in a Friday post . . .)

Source: http://www.rochester.edu/College/translation/threepercent/index.php?id=5712

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Chinese Politicians Are Buying Billions In U.S. Real Estate | Zero ...

Back in September, we explained that when it comes to "boom" in US real estate, there are three key driving forces: i) the Fed's monetization of mortgage backed securities whose impact however is at best to stabilize the demand floor (and judging by the recent collapse in refi activity even that is questionable), ii) an implicit subsidy as banks keep millions of units on their books (to get a sense of how much check out at the chart in "Six Month + Delinquent Mortgages Amount To More Than Half Of Bank of America's Market Cap") in some phase of the foreclosure process, and away from clearing in the market, and perhaps most importantly, iii) the fact that the NAR can legally launder offshore money courtesy of being exempt from anti-money laundering provisions. This allows billions in ill-gotten offshore cash, sourced primarily from Russia and China, to be "invested" in US real-estate, with no cost or pricing discrimation and without any questions asked from any authorities. Because, sure enough, the final result can be spun as a "boom" in real estate by the administration and the banks so very invested in reflating the housing bubble.

This was explained as follows:

the NAR, best known for misrepresenting the real state of the existing US housing market for years, has an open waiver for anti-money laundering regulation from none other than Uncle Sam. Because while it is one thing to blow up the biggest breadwinning industry in Switzerland to pad the tax bill and to spread class warfare, it is something totally different to represent to the world that ultra-luxury segment aside, which is merely an artifact of global money laundering, the US real estate housing emperor is as naked as he was 4 years ago.

As a reminder, here is where the NAR stands on the issue of its most generous clients possibly being some of the worst criminals known to man, courtesy of Elanus Capital:

Many of you reading this will undoubtedly have spent time in an international bank and been forced to sit through countless hours of ?know your client? and AML training. Fascinating to note that the National Association of Realtors lobbied for and received a waiver from such regulation. That?s right, realtors actually went to the U.S. government and said: we want to be able to help foreign business oligarchs and other nefarious business people launder money through the real estate markets of the United States ? and prevailed.

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Here's their official position:

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"NAR supports continued efforts to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism through the regulation of entities using a risk-based analysis. Any risk-based assessment would likely find very little risk of money laundering involving real estate agents or brokers. Regulations that would require real estate agents and brokers to adopt anti-money laundering programs may prove to be burdensome and unnecessary given the existing ML/TF regulations that already apply to United States financial institutions."

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Hat?s off to the NAR ? that is some serious doublespeak. My translation: We?ll support you as long as we don?t have to support you.

Indeed it is. What the NAR is saying is that for now go ahead and lift every offer on every duplex and triplex off Central Park. Your money is absolutely safe with us... this instant.?

* * *

While the above explained what is going on in theory, today courtesy of Mike Krieger we now have formal glimpse into just what is really supporting US housing in practice.

From Corrupt Chinese Politicians are Buying Billions in U.S. Real Estate,? from Liberty Blitzkrieg

Many of us spent much of 2012 confused about how the U.S. real estate market was improving within the context of a broke and unemployed citizenry.? Well as time has passed the answers to our questions have been revealed.? The criminals are piling in.? I first explained a couple of weeks ago how the financial oligarchs in the United States are currently in a bidding war to become America?s slumlords in my post:? America Meet Your New Slumlord: Wall Street.

Now we also discover that part of the bid to U.S. real estate has come from another criminal class. In this case, we are talking about corrupt Chinese officials who are pulling their ill gotten gains from their homeland and desperately placing it in real estate all over the globe.? From The Telegraph:

As China?s new leaders intensify a campaign to root out corruption, thousands of Communist party officials have been panicked into a fire sale of their illicit properties while billions of pounds have been smuggled overseas.

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It said the volume of deals had intensified by ?a hundred times? after Xi Jinping, the incoming Chinese president, warned that corruption could kill the Party and put one of the country?s most vigorous and resolute politicians, Wang Qishan, in charge of stamping out graft.

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It also claimed that an astonishing $1 trillion (?630 billion), equivalent to 40 per cent of Britain?s annual GDP, had been smuggled out of China illegally in 2012.

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Marco Pearman-Parish at Corporation China, a company in Beijing that helps clients find properties abroad, said there had been a strong rise in clients looking for homes in the Cayman Islands.

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In the United States, the National Association of Realtors said that more than $7 billion of properties had been bought by Chinese in the US last year. Some high-end homes are now specifically built for rich Chinese with ponds for koi carp and a second kitchen for pungent cooking.

I guess word has gone out globally that the U.S. is open for business as far as the global criminal class is concerned.? They can rest assured knowing they will never face repercussions in this lawless land.? At least that is what they think.? What we must do is never forget who is buying all of these properties and when the time comes they should all be seized and these crooks sent back to the place they came from.

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Source: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-01-22/chinese-politicians-are-buying-billions-us-real-estate

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Asked if I was "expecting" a baby shower for #2 - Home Decor - The ...

I had one with DD and another with DS... but it was only because they were different genders! nbsp;I had EVERYTHING for girl and nothing for a boy! nbsp;I was very thankful for the second one.This time, I'd like to have a small one just because my youngest is 7 and we've gotten rid of pretty much everything. nbsp;We have special baby clothes, but not much. nbsp;I'm definately NOT expecting it, but it would be lovely.nbsp;

I definitely poo poi second or third showers even with a big gap or diff genders... It's your responsibility to buy them clothes and you shouldn't have a second baby if you can't afford it! And if you can afford to clothe them you don't really need a shower do you... I'm pg with my first and wavering on bring team green but I'm hoping to buy and register for lots of neutral stuff so it can be reused for 2nd baby later.

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I think that is being slightly unfair. ?You don't know the back story or the state we were in when the second shower was thrown. ?I didn't ask for it. ?My DD was only 15 months old and honestly we didn't have the money to buy the extra things. ?DS was a COMPLETE shock! ?And yes, accidents do happen.

This time around is completely different, and if I don't get a shower, then I don't. ?But it would be fun to be with family and friends for the sake of being with them. ?It is certainly not expected.?

Source: http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/71485652.aspx

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Should Pet Cats Be Banned?

Outdoor cats are no friend to birds, but even many birders enjoy pet cats and keep them responsibly indoors. One New Zealand environmental advocate wants to take it a step further, however, hoping to eliminate all pet cats from his country. According to Fox News, Gareth Morgan is urging a pet cat ban in order to preserve the country's unique avifauna. While he does not stress euthanasia - leaving that option to the pet's owner - he is asking that no one buy new cats, that pets be spayed or neutered and that a national registry be instituted for the animals.

Cats are directly responsible for the extinction of several New Zealand bird species, and several more are endangered and face grave threats from these predators. While Morgan's measures are extreme, they are not without precedent. The state of Florida prohibits several types of pet snakes, for example, and this month the state is hunting down invasive pythons that have devastated native birds.

Backyard birders can take steps to discourage feral cats, but even the most aggressive techniques aren't always effective. Do you agree with Morgan's proposal? What measures would you like to see in place to control outdoor cats? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Outdoor Cat
Photo ? Ed Brambley

Source: http://birding.about.com/b/2013/01/23/should-pet-cats-be-banned.htm

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Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Reportedly Caught On Camera, Inherits Design Language Of Galaxy Note II

Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 is rumored for an official unveiling at Mobile World Congress next week in Barcelona, but this week it's been the subject of a lot of rumors and speculation ahead of release. Today, there's a new leak from Italy's DDAY.it that purports to show the Galaxy Note 8 in action in the hands of an actual user. The pics are a lot more convincing than the SamMobile leak of a brochure shot of the same from earlier in the week, with a design that's reminiscent of Samsung's most recent smartphones.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/XJg3FQgSMJ8/

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Rozlyn Sorrell at Arts Center on February 2 | 85 South Out and About

The Centre for Performing and Visual Arts, Newnan, GA
Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 7:00 PM

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Rozlyn Sorrell?s music industry colleagues describe her as a ?consummate artist.? Preview any of her performances and you too, will come away in full agreement. Rozlyn Sorrell is supremely accomplished. Here is an artist whose passion and unique vocal talent ring true. They are true when using her six-octave range in performing various roles on the musical theatre stage or when presenting her rendition of a traditional gospel selection in church. She recently returned from a three-week study/performance scholarship with the ASSISI PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL in Assisi, Italy. Ms. Sorrell is a regularly featured soloist with the NC Symphony during their POPS IN THE PARK series, was a featured soloist with the NC SYMPHONY during their Gospel Christmas Spectacular, in Raleigh?s Maymandi Concert Hall and joined them for an thirteen-city tour in 2009. She is also a soloist with the DURHAM SYMPHONY as well. Rozlyn appeared as a featured soloist on the HOUR OF POWER, and principal cast member in both the GLORY OF CHRISTMAS and GLORY OF EASTER, at Robert Schuller?s Crystal Cathedral for several years before locating to North Carolina. Ms. Sorrell has performed and recorded with world-renowned recording artists Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston, Al Jarreau, Norman Connors, Cece Winans, and Daryl Coley, to name a few. She is a member of SAG/AFTRA/AEA, and her acting experiences range from 30-second commercials and voice-overs to featured roles in a number of television programs and films. Also to her credit is the production of AND STILL I RISE, written and directed by Maya Angelou. Rozlyn is proud to have also added director to her list of credits and accomplishments. She won the 2011 title Best Musical Director in the Triangle by Independent Weekly for the Mike Wiley production of THE PARCHMAN HOUR at PlayMakers Repertory Company at UNC Chapel Hill. She also appeared in the cast of the touring company in the role of 1961 Freedom Rider, James Farmer. Ms. Sorrell?s education is as varied as her entertainment career having earned a Bachelor?s degree in Theatre Arts and a Master?s in Special Education. Upon her initial arrival in North Carolina, she used her educational experience to counsel children in the area of mental health through the Easter Seals organization and instruct children with learning differences at a private educational facility. Currently, Ms. Sorrell incorporates her knowledge of speech and diction into private and group vocal instruction of aspiring artists at her Vocal Precision Studio in Raleigh. Additionally she assists corporate clients to speak with more confidence, clarity and conviction. She has been rewarded for her hard work and dedication with recognition and inclusion into The Marquis series of Who?s Who publications, including; WHO?S WHO IN THE WEST, WHO?S WHO OF AMERICAN WOMEN, WHO?S WHO IN AMERICA, AND WHO?S WHO IN THE WORLD. Rozlyn was recently recognized by and represents Garner, NC in the METROPOLITAN WHO?S WHO publication. Although originally from New York City, her soul is inextricably tied to the heartland of America, where her commitment is to minister to others through her God given gift of music, in song.

?Venue Information The Centre for Performing and Visual Arts 1523 Lower Fayetteville Rd Newnan, GA 30265 770-254-2787

Source: http://85southonline.com/articles/2013/01/22/rozlyn-sorrell-at-arts-center-on-february-2/

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Leonardo DiCaprio Taking A ?Long Break? From Acting

Leonardo DiCaprio Taking A “Long Break” From Acting

Leonardo DiCaprio has announced he is going to take a very long break from acting. In a recent interview, the actor said he has worn himself out after doing three movies in two years and wants to focus on other interests. “I am a bit drained,” Leonardo DiCaprio told German magazine Bild. “I’m now going ...

Leonardo DiCaprio Taking A “Long Break” From Acting Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2013/01/leonardo-dicaprio-taking-a-long-break-from-acting/

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Financial Service Lease offer BG/SBLC - AgricultureInformation.com

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Source: http://www.agricultureinformation.com/forums/project-reports/105725-financial-service-lease-offer-bg-sblc.html

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Congress approves $9.7 billion in Sandy flood aid

Crews work work to replace the Superstorm Sandy destroyed boardwalk in Seaside Heights, N.J., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. Under intense pressure from angry Republicans, House Speaker John Boehner has agreed to a vote this week on aid for Superstorm Sandy recovery. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Crews work work to replace the Superstorm Sandy destroyed boardwalk in Seaside Heights, N.J., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. Under intense pressure from angry Republicans, House Speaker John Boehner has agreed to a vote this week on aid for Superstorm Sandy recovery. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Henny Mauro walks in Seaside Heights, N.J., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, past a beach-side home that was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. Under intense pressure from angry Republicans, House Speaker John Boehner has agreed to a vote this week on aid for Superstorm Sandy recovery. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

A man photographs a beach front home in Bay Head, N.J., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, that was severely damaged two months ago by Superstorm Sandy. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican who has praised President Barack Obama's handling of the devastating storm, has blasted Republican U.S. House Speaker John Boehner for delaying a vote for federal storm relief. Now, under intense pressure from angry Republicans, Boehner has agreed to a vote this week on aid for Superstorm Sandy recovery. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Homes and docks damaged by Superstorm Sandy remain uninhabitable in the Broad Channel section of Queens, New York, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. Many home and business owners flooded out by Hurricane Sandy could get insurance payouts soon through congressional action expected Friday, Jan. 4 on a $9.7 billion bill to replenish the National Flood Insurance Program. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which runs the program, warned that it will run out of money next week if Congress doesn?t give it additional borrowing authority to pay out claims. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo talks to NYS Responds and NYS Ready Commissions members following a meeting in the Red Room at the Capitol on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Albany, N.Y. A still angry Cuomo isn't ready to believe the Republican House leadership will finally vote on Sandy relief aid. Instead, he's telling them: "Show me the money." (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The new Congress on Friday rushed out $9.7 billion to help pay flood insurance claims to 115,000 people and businesses afflicted by Superstorm Sandy, two days after New Jersey's governor and other Northeast Republicans upbraided Speaker John Boehner for killing a broader package for state and local governments in the storm's path.

The bill replenishes the National Flood Insurance Program that was due to run out of money next week with the pending Sandy-related claims as well as 5,000 unresolved claims from other floods.

"It's a small down payment on the larger aid we need," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. The legislation cleared the Senate by a voice vote following passage by the House, 354-67.

The government already has spent about $2 billion on the emergency response to the late October storm, one of the worst ever in the Northeast. It slammed the Atlantic coastline from North Carolina to Maine, with the worst damage occurring in New York City and its suburbs, New Jersey and Connecticut. The storm is blamed for 140 deaths.

Boehner has promised a vote Jan. 15 on a broader, $51 billion package of aid, which would bring the total to the more than $60 billion requested by President Barack Obama. Senate leaders have promised a vote the following week.

The Senate passed a $60.4 billion bill a week ago but House Republicans, complaining that it was laden with pork projects unrelated to the storm, cut it by more than half. Boehner canceled a New Year's Day vote on it after nearly two-thirds of House Republicans voted against the "fiscal cliff" package of tax and spending increases.

The White House praised Friday's vote helping homeowners, renters and businesses, and urged Congress to act quickly on the remainder of Obama's request.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a joint statement also imploring Congress to move hastily on the rest of the money. "We are trusting Congress to act accordingly on January 15th," they said.

It was a more temperate response than was heard earlier in the week, when a livid Christie blistered House Republicans and Boehner himself for holding up the aid and other GOP figures from the region, as well as Democrats, cried "betrayal."

All of the "no" votes in the House were cast by Republicans, who said other government programs should have been cut to pay for the measure. As with past natural disasters, the Sandy aid proposals do not provide for offsetting spending cuts, meaning the aid comes at the cost of higher deficits.

The bill gives more authority to the National Flood Insurance Program to borrow money from the U.S. Treasury to pay claims. Premiums average about $625 per year and residential claims under the program average nearly $30,000.

Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., a fiscal conservative who voted against the flood bill, said he was among those with concerns it would add to huge budget deficits. "We have to talk seriously about offsets," Huelskamp said. "We can't take $60 billion off budget, that's my problem with it."

The Club For Growth, a conservative group, urged lawmakers to oppose the flood insurance bill. "Congress should not allow the federal government to be involved in the flood insurance industry in the first place, let alone expand the national flood insurance program's authority," the group said in a statement.

Among those with a pending flood insurance claim is Philip Rock in New Jersey. Rock has gotten $8,000 in flood insurance payments so far on a house he rents out in Toms River that was destroyed. He expects to receive much more from his $220,000 insurance policy but can't level the house until he knows the final payout.

"We don't want to demolish the house and have them say, 'We have to go around and take more pictures,'" Rock said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency had warned that the flood insurance program would run out of money next week if Congress didn't provide additional borrowing authority. Congress created the FEMA-run program in 1968 because few private insurers cover flood damage.

The $2 billion FEMA already has spent went to providing shelter, restoring power and meeting other immediate needs. Eleven states ? New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, New Hampshire, Delaware, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts ? plus the District of Columbia have shared that money.

FEMA's disaster relief fund still has about $4.3 billion, enough to pay for emergency response efforts into early spring, according to officials.

Sandy is the most costly natural disaster since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Northeast lawmakers have complained that while it took Congress just 10 days to approve about $50 billion in Katrina aid, additional money for Sandy victims hasn't been forthcoming in more than two months.

The storm damaged or destroyed more than 72,000 homes and businesses in New Jersey. In New York, 305,000 housing units were damaged or destroyed and more than 265,000 businesses were disrupted, officials have said.

___

Associated Press writers Andrew Taylor and Jim Abrams in Washington and Katie Zezima in Newark, N.J., contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-01-04-Superstorm%20Aid/id-d256b9fb286b4cf1b571f08e8dea54a5

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Weathering the Winter with Fitness | Guiding Stars

January 8th, 2013by Allison Stowell in Health and Wellness

There are people that enjoy the winter and then there are those who dread every moment, fear every weather report and loathe the cold. While on the surface this may simply seem like a matter of opinion, I believe that there is something greater that separates these two groups. Winter lovers tend to get out and appreciate the season for what it offers?crisp, cool air and a chance to enjoy a landscape that looks so very different than it does in the warmer months.

You may be thinking that this is all well and nice, but it still won?t get you out from under your cozy covers to ?enjoy? a twenty degree day. What if I told you that not taking advantage of getting outdoors and exercising during the winter is the reason you find yourself wishing you could just hibernate??Experts agree that getting physical activity in the winter?especially outdoors?boosts your mood, reduces the symptoms of seasonal affect disorder and helps prevent winter weight gain. All you need is 30-45 minutes and you could be on your way to enjoying, not just enduring, the winter.

Snowshoes / M. Prinke / CC BY 2.0

Put on your hiking boots: Lace up some water proof boots and go for a hike or at least a walk. Take advantage of areas that are generally over grown in the summer- possibly even right in your back yard.

Try snow shoes: Designed to prevent you from sinking into the snow, snow shoes provide a strenuous workout if you venture to follow your own path, or a less difficult but equally beautiful way to enjoy the winter if elevation isn?t your thing. Not sure where to go? Your local golf course may make be a great place. If you live near a ski area take advantage of the groomed trails for free! Call local ski shops to find out about renting snow shoes.

Think like a kid: Just get out there! Start playing around, throwing snow balls and even go sledding (walking the sled up the hill is sure to work your legs).

If I really can?t get you to go outside: There are many opportunities to work out without even leaving your house. For a low monthly membership you can have access to over 170 exercise videos through Workouts on Demand. Ranging from beginner to expert, Sparkpeople.com ?allows you to string together a series of videos to create the workout you are looking for. I also recommend checking out iTunes, which includes many downloadable apps such as Fitness Buddy ($.99) that offers more than a thousand workouts to download to your phone. Lastly, if a Nintendo Wii or other game console has made it into your home, purchase a fitness game or other active game that will get you (and your kids!) moving.

Source: http://guidingstars.com/health-and-wellness/weathering-the-winter-with-fitness/

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FutureAgency Interview With Mark Borkowski PR | Business 2 ...

Business 2 Community is an independent online community focused on sharing the latest news surrounding Social Media, Marketing, Branding, Public Relations & much more. Every day we feature the thought leadership of our open community of bloggers and aim to provide a balanced view of the business landscape based on industry news, trends and real-life experiences.

Source: http://www.business2community.com/expert-interviews/futureagency-interview-with-mark-borkowski-pr-0368687

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Musical 'Pippin' to transfer to Broadway

This undated publicity photo provided by American Repertory Theater shows Matthew James Thomas, left, as Pippin and Rachel Bay Jones as Catherine in a production of "Pippin," at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass. Producers of the Diane Paulus-led revival that is currently playing at the American Repertory Theater outside Boston said late Thursday that ?Pippin? will transfer to the Music Box Theatre this spring. Performances begin March 23 with an official opening on April 25. (AP Photo/American Repertory Theater, Michael J. Lutch)

This undated publicity photo provided by American Repertory Theater shows Matthew James Thomas, left, as Pippin and Rachel Bay Jones as Catherine in a production of "Pippin," at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass. Producers of the Diane Paulus-led revival that is currently playing at the American Repertory Theater outside Boston said late Thursday that ?Pippin? will transfer to the Music Box Theatre this spring. Performances begin March 23 with an official opening on April 25. (AP Photo/American Repertory Theater, Michael J. Lutch)

NEW YORK (AP) ? There's magic to do on Broadway ? "Pippin" is coming back.

Producers of the revival that is currently playing at the American Repertory Theater outside Boston said late Thursday that "Pippin" will transfer to the Music Box Theatre this spring. Performances begin March 23 with an official opening on April 25.

A whimsical coming-of-age story about the son of the first Holy Roman Emperor, "Pippin" boasts pop-rock music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger O. Hirson. Schwartz's other hits include "Wicked" and "Godspell."

This "Pippin" is being directed by Diane Paulus, who leads the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass., where the latest revival got its start. Her revivals of both "Hair" and "The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess" also went to Broadway and each won Tony Awards for best musical revivals.

"Pippin" opened in 1972 under the direction of Bob Fosse and ran for five years, winning five Tonys. It became a favorite with schools, summer stocks and community theaters across the country.

Directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse, the Broadway original version starred Ben Vereen as the Leading Player, an emcee-like role that won him a best-actor Tony. John Rubinstein played Pippin and the cast also included Jill Clayburgh and Ann Reinking.

In Massachusetts, the Vereen role is being filled by Patina Miller, the Tony-nominated star of "Sister Act," but there was no immediate word on whether she would join the production on Broadway.

Schwartz wrote the show while a student at Carnegie Tech in Pittsburgh and his success with "Godspell" helped get it on Broadway. Its breakout songs include "Magic to Do," ''No Time at All," ''Corner of the Sky," ''No Time at All" and "Kind of Woman."

Gypsy Snider, an ex-Cirque du Soleil member who founded the Montreal-based collective known as 7 Fingers, has choreographed the circus parts of the show, and Chet Walker, who was in the original "Pippin," has choreographed the dance parts in a Fosse style.

___

Online:

http://www.PippinTheMusical.com

___

Follow Mark Kennedy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-01-03-Theater-Pippin/id-d053b0c81f2b4d5ca9c2243096f6bb87

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UBS Sees Growth Outshining The American Taxpayer Relief Act ...

With a down to the wire timing that has become a tradition in Washington D.C., the House and the Senate approved what is being called the The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. While both sides were forced to give some ground and ultimately the debt ceiling will have to be altered, the big question for investors remains front and center. Will raising taxes halt U.S economic growth?

If economists at UBS?A.G. (NYSE: UBS) are correct, the increase in taxes on individuals making $400,000 and couples making $450,000, combined with the reinstatement of the individual Social Security withholding tax, will not be enough to slow down American economic growth. They are holding firm on their estimate of 2.3% real gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2013. That figure is almost half a percentage point higher than other Wall St. firms? estimates.

Why the optimism when conventional wisdom is always to fear higher taxes? UBS?contends that higher taxes on the wealthy may hold down their personal savings rates, but will not affect their rate of consumption. Since 70% of GDP is comprised of overall consumer spending, this becomes a positive factor for growth.

Another factor cited is the increase in the tax rate from 35% to 39.6% on small business owners who file on their individual income tax. While higher tax rates crimp capital, it probably is not enough to keep successful businesses from expanding if the economy grows at the anticipated rate.

Government spending also becomes a critical point when forecasting U.S. growth. It is widely assumed that federal spending will decline in the years to come. That affects far fewer people?than an increase in federal income tax levels. However, it may have an impact on the share prices of firms dependent on federal defense spending, such as Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT), Raytheon Co. (NYSE: RTN) and General Dynamics Corp. (NYSE: GD). Given the higher level used for the increase in taxes in the recently completed bill, a very small percentage of people will actually see their income taxes rise.

Needless to say, there will be more wrangling on Capitol Hill as very little was actually accomplished in the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. But for consumers the main issue of tax increases has been addressed and settled. That is the issue that most directly influences spending, as well as one that may have contributed to the lowest growth in holiday spending since 2008.

As far as the broad market is concerned, here is one competing view from us on how the DJIA can rise over 11% to 14,590 during 2013.

Lee Jackson

Source: http://247wallst.com/2013/01/03/ubs-sees-growth-outshining-the-american-taxpayer-relief-act/

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US job market resilient despite budget fight

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The U.S. job market showed resilience in three reports Thursday, suggesting it may be able to withstand a federal budget battle that threatens more economic uncertainty in coming months.

A survey showed private hiring increased last month, while layoffs declined and applications for unemployment benefits stayed near a four-year low. The data led some economists to raise their forecasts for December job growth one day before the government releases its closely watched employment report.

"The job market held firm in December despite the intensifying fiscal cliff negotiations," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics. "Businesses even became somewhat more aggressive in their hiring at year end."

The most encouraging sign came from payroll provider ADP. Its monthly employment survey showed businesses added 215,000 jobs last month, the most in 10 months and much higher than November's total of 148,000.

Economists tend to approach the ADP survey with some skepticism because it has diverged sharply at times from the government's job figures. The Labor Department releases its employment report Friday.

But some economists were also hopeful after seeing businesses were less inclined to cut jobs last month.

Outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said that the number of announced job cuts fell 43 percent in December from November, and overall planned layoffs in 2012 fell to the lowest level since 1997.

The decline in layoffs coincided with a drop last month in the number of people who applied for unemployment benefits. The four-week average was little changed at 360,000 last week. That's only slightly above the previous week's 359,750, which was the lowest since March 2008.

Most economists expect the Labor Department report will show employers added about 150,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate stayed at 7.7 percent.

Some economists saw potential for stronger gains after seeing Thursday's data.

Joseph LaVorgna, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank, raised his forecast for job growth in December to 190,000 jobs, up from 150,000.

Credit Suisse increased its forecast to 185,000, up from 165,000.

"Given that we have restraints, the labor market data do appear to be improving," said Dana Saporta, an economist at Credit Suisse.

Still, many economists remained cautious about where the job market is headed. While Congress and the White House reached a deal this week that removed the threat of tax increases to most Americans, they postponed the more difficult decisions on cutting spending. And the government must also increase its $16.4 trillion borrowing limit by late February or risk defaulting on its debt.

Congressional Republicans are pressing for deep spending cuts in return for any increase in the borrowing limit. President Barack Obama has repeatedly said wants the issues kept separate.

The economy has added about 150,000 jobs a month, on average, over the past two years. That's too few to rapidly lower the unemployment rate.

Hiring probably won't rise above the current 150,000 per month trend until after the borrowing limit is resolved, economists say.

A similar fight over raising the borrowing limit in 2011 was only settled at the last hour and nearly brought the nation to the brink of default.

"That's not an environment where you're likely to be taking risks," such as boosting hiring, said Nigel Gault, chief U.S. economist at IHS Global Insight.

Even with modest gains in hiring, the unemployment rate remains high. It fell to 7.7 percent in November from 7.9 percent in October. But that was mostly because many of the unemployed stopped looking for jobs. The government counts people as unemployed only if they are actively searching for work.

The number of people receiving jobless benefits fell to 5.4 million in the week ended Dec. 15, the latest data available. That's down about 70,000 from the previous week. The figure includes about 2.1 million people receiving emergency benefits paid for by the federal government. The White House and Congress agreed earlier this week to extend that program for another year.

There are signs the economy is improving. The once-battered housing market is recovering, which should lead to more construction jobs this year. Companies ordered more long-lasting manufactured goods in November, a sign they are investing more in equipment and software. And Americans spent more in November. Consumer spending drives nearly 70 percent of economic growth.

__

AP Economics Writer Martin Crutsinger contributed to this report. Follow Chris Rugaber at http://Twitter.com/ChrisRugaber

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-job-market-resilient-despite-budget-fight-200444262--finance.html

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Weekend at Hugo?s (Powerlineblog)

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Bigger fights loom after "fiscal cliff" deal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans face even bigger budget battles in the next two months after a hard-fought "fiscal cliff" deal narrowly averted devastating tax hikes and spending cuts.

The agreement, approved late on Tuesday by the Republican-led House of Representatives, was a victory for Obama, who had won re-election in November on a promise to address budget woes, partly by raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans.

But it set up potentially bruising showdowns over the next two months on spending cuts and an increase in the nation's limit on borrowing. Republicans, angry the fiscal cliff deal did little to curb the federal deficit, promised to use the debt-ceiling debate to win deep spending cuts next time.

Republicans believe they will have greater leverage over Democrat Obama when they must consider raising the borrowing limit in February because failure to close a deal could mean a default on U.S. debt or another downgrade in the U.S. credit rating. A similar showdown in 2011 led to a credit downgrade.

"Our opportunity here is on the debt ceiling," Republican Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania said on MSNBC. "We Republicans need to be willing to tolerate a temporary, partial government shutdown, which is what that could mean."

But Obama and congressional Democrats may be emboldened by winning the first round of fiscal fights when dozens of House Republicans buckled and voted for major tax hikes for the first time in two decades.

"We believe that passing this legislation greatly strengthens the president's hand in negotiations that come next," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told NBC in an interview to air on Thursday.

Deteriorating relations between leaders in the two parties do not bode well for the more difficult fights ahead. Vice President Joe Biden and Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell had to step in to work out the final deal as the relationship between House Speaker John Boehner and Obama unraveled.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid also drew the ire of Boehner, who told Reid in the White House to "Go fuck yourself" after a tense meeting last week, aides said. His remark came after the Democrat accused Boehner of running a "dictatorship" in the House.

Bemoaning the intensity of the fiscal cliff fight, Obama urged "a little less drama" when the Congress and White House next address budget issues like the government's rapidly mounting $16 trillion debt load. He vowed to avoid another divisive debt-ceiling fight before the late-February deadline for raising the limit.

"While I will negotiate over many things, I will not have another debate with this Congress about whether or not they should pay the bills they have already racked up," Obama said before he headed to Hawaii to resume an interrupted vacation.

NOT TIME TO CELEBRATE

Obama Praises Deal, Says There's More to Be DonePresident Obama is praising the bill that staves off the fiscal cliff tax hikes and spending cuts. The House of Representatives followed the Senate's lead, and passed the bill late Tuesday. (Jan. 2)

Analysts warned that might not be so easy. "While the markets and most taxpayers may breathe a sigh of relief for a few days, excuse us for not celebrating," said Greg Valliere, chief political strategist at Potomac Research Group.

"We have consistently warned that the next brawl represents a far greater threat to the markets - talk of default will grow by February, accompanied by concerns over a credit rating downgrade," he said.

Rating agencies Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's said the "fiscal cliff" measure did not put the budget on a more sustainable path. The International Monetary Fund said raising the debt ceiling would be a critical move.

"More remains to be done to put U.S. public finances back on a sustainable path without harming the still fragile recovery," said Gerry Rice, a spokesman for the IMF.

Financial markets that had been worried about the fiscal cliff showdown welcomed the deal, with U.S. stocks recording their best day in more than a year. The S&P 500 achieved its biggest one-day gain since December 20, 2011, pushing the benchmark index to its highest close since September 14.

The debate over "entitlement" programs is also bound to be difficult. Republicans will be pushing for significant cuts in government healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid for retirees and the poor, which are the biggest drivers of federal debt. Democrats have opposed cuts in those popular programs.

"This is going to be much uglier to me than the tax issue ... this is going to be about entitlement reform," Republican Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee said on CNBC.

"Now that we have this other piece behind us - hopefully - we'll deal in a real way with the kinds of things our nation needs to face," he said.

The fiscal cliff crisis ended when dozens of Republicans in the House relented and backed a bill passed by the Democratic-controlled Senate that hiked taxes on household income above $450,000 a year. Spending cuts of $109 billion in military and domestic programs were delayed for two months.

Economists had warned that the fiscal cliff of across-the-board tax hikes and spending cuts would have punched a $600 billion hole in the economy this year and threatened to send the country back into recession.

Dozens of House Republicans reluctantly approved the Senate bill, which passed by a bipartisan vote of 257-167 and sent it to Obama to sign into law.

Peter Huntsman, chief executive of chemical producer Huntsman Corp, said the vote did little to reduce the U.S. budget deficit and would hinder growth.

"We haven't even begun to address the basic issues behind this," Huntsman told Reuters. "We haven't fixed anything. All we've done is addressed the short-term pain.

The vote underlined the precarious position of Boehner, who will ask his Republicans to re-elect him as speaker on Thursday when a new Congress is sworn in. Boehner backed the bill, but most House Republicans, including his top lieutenants, voted against it.

The Ohio congressman also drew criticism on Wednesday from his fellow Republicans for failing to schedule a House vote on a bill passed by the Senate that would provide federal aid to Northeastern states hit by the storm Sandy.

(Additional reporting by Susan Heavey, Richard Cowan in Washington and Gabriel Debenedetti and Ernest Scheyder in New York, Editing by Alistair Bell and Peter Cooney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/house-republicans-weigh-last-ditch-challenge-fiscal-deal-005743252--business.html

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Less meat in diet makes healthful sense - Letters to the Editor - The ...

ANDREW PETUCHOV | Olympia ? Published January 02, 2013 Modified January 01, 2013

ANDREW PETUCHOV

This year?s developments have certainly vindicated those of us who care about our health, our environment, and our treatment of animals. In January, first lady Michelle Obama unveiled revamped federal guidelines requiring school cafeterias to serve more fruits, vegetables and whole grains and less sodium and animal fat. In March, a study involving nearly 38,000 men and 84,000 women by the Harvard School of Public Health concluded that one daily serving of meat is associated with a 13-20 percent increase in the risk of death from heart disease or cancer.

The American Journal of Preventive Medicine estimates that prevalence of obesity among American adults will escalate to 42 percent by 2030, with a $550 billion increase in medical costs.

The Humane Society exposed unconscionable atrocities among three pig producers in Oklahoma and a Pennsylvania egg farm. It?s little wonder that 7 percent of Americans consider themselves vegetarian or vegan and 28 percent are actively reducing their meat consumption, leading to a 12 percent drop in United States consumption since 2007. We should all consider following suit for this New Year?s resolution. Entering ?live vegan? in a search engine brings tons of recipes and other useful information.

Source: http://www.theolympian.com/2013/01/02/2370724/less-meat-in-diet-makes-healthful.html

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Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education, Research into ...

Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education, Research into Practice

P.E. at Home ~ (Henry Bunn 2010) The DVD That Brings Physical Education Home School Fight Childhood Obesity Kids Exercise Fitness Weight Loss Elementary Gym

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This DVD is probably the most physical kids video ever produced.

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Young Leaders Interview Series : Evelyn Anyiri Business Blog

Posted on: 2 January 2013
By: Westminster Business School Blog
No Comments ?
Filed under: Student Life

Can you please tell me a little bit about yourself? (Briefly about what you are studying etc.)

I am a final year undergraduate studying BSc (Hons) Accounting with Management. I have worked as a Student Ambassador for the University of Westminster for almost two years and I have interned with the New City Initiative at Stanhope Capital to understand and gain experience in the financial services industry, particularly in private wealth management. I am passionate about education so I also volunteered to be University Associate in Schools as an A Level Economics teaching assistant and higher education mentor. I currently serve as President of The Accounting & Management Society which I jointly founded last year.

How did you decide to study at Westminster Business School?

At College I studied a range of business related subjects and wanted to study a degree as versatile as my interests. I was really drawn to the degrees on offer at Westminster Business School because I could still pursue explore other areas of business while specialising in a particular area of business. The courses are tailored to make them really relevant to industry so have a strong understanding of theory and the chance to debate current issues happening now. The real icing on the cake was being able to bank exemptions with the ACCA while I studied so I study towards two qualifications at the same time.

I am really glad I decided to study here because the other students on the course are amazing personalities. We work really closely together and during the years I have formed strong friendships with students from different years that I hope will last for many years to come.

How and when did you get involved in the Accounting & Management Society?

The Accounting & Management Society started as a light hearted conversation I had with a friend Lydia Quartey before a lecture in my penultimate year. We noticed that there was a missing bridge between what students wanted to know and how it was being provided.

We wanted to do something about it from the grass roots in a way that created opportunities for students to talk to each other and take active responsibility for their own careers. After the conversation, we started the society. In one year, what started as a dream of two people registering a little known society has become a widely known society in Westminster Business School shy of 500 members and growing every week.

What do you think of the social learning platform?

I think it is a wonderful opportunity to make education and learning a collaborative experience. I learn so much from others and my ideas are often made better by working with others. In industry, the interconnected nature of business means that learning to work with other people from different disciplines and cultures is an important life skill. The opportunity to practice this life skill through the social learning platform on our courses makes our university experience relevant and forward thinking.

If you were asked to give one piece of advice to students then what would it be?

The most important advice I would give is to believe in yourself and your abilities. I know it is easier said than done but university is designed to challenge you and bring out the best in you. Sometimes it is hard to maintain that energy and optimism especially when you are working independently or do not achieve the grade you had wanted.

I found the best way for me to keep believing in myself is having many friends studying different courses across the Business School for two main reasons. The first reason is that they can relate you because we are all going through the same thing so we can support each other. Secondly, other students are happy to share their tips and experiences so you avoid common mistakes.

How do you relax out of school work? What are your interests/leisure activities?

Studying in the heart of London means there is always something going on so I am never bored or short of something to experience. I am quite a creative person and a big fan of the arts so when I have time I like to visit museum exhibitions or learn something new. The Westminster Business School has a really interesting exhibition space for contemporary arts on campus called Ambika P3 which I really enjoyed visiting between lectures. When I am not exploring London, I spend my time getting lost in classic literature or the Economist to stay current on world affairs which means I always have something interesting to talk about!

Everyone is talking about employability skills what do you think is the best way to increase your employability skills during your academic studies?

Make sure you invest your time making a positive contribution that reflects your interests or career ambitions. I find that many students do not realise they need to justify why they want to pursue a particular career so often struggle when writing applications or sit interviews. Employers are flooded with students with good quality degrees but what they really want are students who have shown they can make a difference. It shows initiative and makes you stand out from the crowd.

I have learnt the best way to do this is to create opportunities from everyday situations. Talk to everyone and anyone you meet, Westminster Business School is not the place to be shy! It is usually hard at first but as you get to know other people on your course or other courses who have similar ambitions as you do, you learn about so many opportunities you never knew existed!

We all know that student life is hard work! How do you manage to balance your studies with all the extra-curricular activities?

Having good time management is often repeated so many times at Westminster Business School but it is so important. I like to plan my day so I could not leave the house without my organiser to know my schedule for the day. I have handy 60 minute reminders so if I forgotten I have to be somewhere I have 60 minutes to make it! Studying in university is intense and increases as the years progress, giving yourself enough time to complete assignments and revising as you go along means you minimise last minute stress.

What does the future hold? Where do you see yourself in five years? time?

I would definitely say the future is bright right now. I feel really confident in what I have learnt and developed strong transferable skills. I would like to complete a few professional qualifications while I am still used to studying independently. I like being organised so a career helping others keeping their finances organised would appeal to me so in five years? time I would ideally like to be a highly experienced consultant in private wealth management or tax advisory as those are the two career paths that appeal to me right now.

Source: http://blog.business.westminster.ac.uk/blog/2013/01/02/young-leaders-interview-series-evelyn-anyiri/

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